Visit to Redstone Willows in Alsager

Examples of willow work at the Redstone Willows centre in Alsager, in a range of different coloured varieties.  Haslington Conservation Volunteers have planted and maintained a hazel copse in Haslington - we were very pleased to find an outlet for our cut hazels in Redstone Willows.  

The examaple of willow weaving chosen for us was a Christmas bell.  Take a wooden base and insert 6 similar sized lengths of willow in a circle.  Start the weaving process - over one and past the next.  The rate of incline is adjusted by the alignment of the active strand, as the work spirals upwards.

At all times ensure that you do not knock your mug of coffee off the worktable.

Use of the bodkin to finish off the loop on top of the
bell.

By adjusting the size and number of loops on the top a winged Christmas angel can be formed.

Preparing for the top loop to be added to the bell.A very personal example.

Rare photo of the blog author.

November Tree Planting and Bird Box Survey

On a beautifully bright November Sunday the work day for the Haslington Conservation Volunteers involved two tasks.  Firstly replacing a dead tree on Park Road and secondly inspecting various bird boxes in an end of season survey.

A pair of Whitebeam's had been planted about 5 years ago either side of the private road from Park Road to Haslington Hall.  Unfortunately flooding caused by a blocked field drain resulted in the Southerly tree drowning.  The drains have now been cleared and the tree was given a last chance to regrow this past year but unfortunately a replacement was required.



Dead Whitebeam to the South of the road

 



The northerly tree had survived the flooding to produce an excellent crop of berries for the winter.

The dead tree is cut down and the roots removed before the fresh tree from Siddington is replanted.

Colin is normally to be seen leaning on a spade but on this occasion its our colleague Sarah.

The new tree is safely enclosed in its animal proof enclosure.

Another section of the Haslington Conservation Volunteers set off with extending ladders to check what use had been made in the past year of some of the many bird boxes installed by the group.

Sarah is cleaning out box 34 in an oak tree near to Haslington Hall.  As can be seen below the box was stuffed full of grass and root material together with a large quantity of dry dusty soil.

Colin shows the contents of a second box which appears to include chicken feathers in the matrix.  The actual egg laying area was tunneled into the nesting material, complete with maggots.

The morning sunshine brought out many walkers including the webmaster of the Haslington Parish website who reports on our activities here.  http://www.haslington.org/news/local-news/new-tree-planting.html